Wander Falls

Clear skies one minute, gray the next … hey, no one’s gonna rain on your waterfall parade! From a splash of wine country to a dash of the Santa Cruz Mountains, even some Tahoe flow, here are three short hikes to waterfalls that pack a good punch after wet weather.

Week: 03.28.2019

Regions: Northern CA

Tiptoe Time

Hike to Tiptoe Falls in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Peninsula & South Bay

You won’t need a lot of fancy footwork to hike the short distance to Tiptoe, but you will want some water-resistant hiking shoes to reach this lovely oasis hidden away in Portola Redwoods State Park. Set deep in the lush coastal forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, this 2,800-acre

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Epic Winter Means Epic Spring in Reno Tahoe

Epic Winter Means Epic Spring in Reno Tahoe

1) Ride the Rapids! This year’s snowmelt means river rapids galore. Connecting Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake, the Truckee River cuts through downtown Reno, and when it’s this good you’ve gotta get your thrills whitewater rafting or kayaking along some of its most scenic stretches (

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Eagle Eye Surprise

Snowshoe to Eagle Falls in Tahoe

Greater California

Granite peaks, a view of Lake Tahoe, and a waterfall—get it all on a 2-mile (round-trip) winter hike to Tahoe’s Eagle Lake. In summer, this trail is busy, but in spring, you can get to the lake without the crowds. The snow is packed enough that you can make it to the lake in good

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Sugar Rush

Hike to a Waterfall at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is in the heart of wine country. This 4,000-acre open space straddles the Sonoma and Napa Valleys in the Mayacamas Mountains. And its trails are something special, with wildflowers, waterfalls, and nearby wineries! Sonoma Creek’s seasonal waterfall is c

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Napa's Wild Side
It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.
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Been There, Dome That
Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.
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Wapama Wows
Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.
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Muir Woods Through the Backdoor
A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.
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Inn-spiration Point!
For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.
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A Thousand Steps to Paradise
A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.
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Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.
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Lookout for This View!
Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!
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